About scapulars

[Koopa]

Do you have to have some kind of ceremony first in order to receive its associated graces or can you just get one from someplace and start to wear it?

If you do have to have a ceremony, how would one be in that? Thanks.

 

[michaeldaniels]

Dominus Vobiscum…There is an enrollment that you must go through for each Scapular…most priests can enroll you in the various scapular…there is no special ceremonies, for instance, those wishing to be enrolled in the Confraternity of the Brown Scapular, can be enrolled on each first Saturday of each month…the following is an example of what one could expect at a Brown Scapular enrollment:

• Enrollment involves a priest blessing the first brown scapular with this prayer:
  Receive this blessed habit; praying the most holy Virgin, than by Her merits thou may wear it without stain; and that She may guard thee from all evil and bring thee to life everlasting. R. Amen. By the power granted me, I admit thee to the participation of all the spiritual good works, which through the gracious help of Jesus Christ are performed by the religious of Mount Carmel. In the name of the Father, and the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. R. Amen.

May the Creator of Heaven and earth, Almighty God, bless + thee; Who has deigned to unite thee to the confraternity of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel. We beseech Her, in the hour of thy death, to crush the head of the old serpent; so that thou may in the end win the everlasting palm and crown of the heavenly inheritance. Through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

After enrollment in the Confraternity of the Scapular, the scapular may be replaced by a Carmelite scapular medal worn around the neck. The enrollment is for a lifetime and need not be repeated, and new scapulars do not need to be blessed again but scapular medals do.

Do you have to have some kind of ceremony first in order to receive its associated graces or can you just get one from someplace and start to wear it?

If you do have to have a ceremony, how would one be in that? Thanks.

 

[ac_claire]

I have always been a bit perplexed by this enrollment business.

How does one arrange for an enrollment --would you just walk up to your priest and ask to be enrolled? At any time, or on a First Saturday? Will they even know what you’re talking about? Or would it be better to call for an appointment?

To my knowledge, nobody in my family has ever been “enrolled” in the Brown Scapular, but we do have new scapulars blessed. And now that I think about it, sometimes the priest will ask who the scapular is for, and then they incorporate the name into the blessing. I wonder if such blessings count as an enrollment?

I’d be interested to hear what others have done.

 

[ac_claire]

P.S. I’m re-posting this thread in the Spirituality sub-forum

forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?p=3323149#post3323149

 

[IrishAm]

The parish in which my children were raised always had – and still have from what I understand – a scapular enrollment for the children and anyone else who wanted to participate a few weeks before their first communions. That’s when I was enrolled as well.

 

[jmcrae]

I have always been a bit perplexed by this enrollment business.

How does one arrange for an enrollment --would you just walk up to your priest and ask to be enrolled? At any time, or on a First Saturday? Will they even know what you’re talking about? Or would it be better to call for an appointment?

Some priests are familiar with it, and others are not. The most likely to be familiar with it will be Latin Mass priests and priests who are known for their Marian devotion. These are the ones that I would approach first.

If you have a Legion of Mary in your parish, ask them who they get to enroll their new members; this priest will also most likely be familiar with the various Scapulars, as well.

If you get the Scapular in its original packaging, it comes with a copy of the ceremony, so once you’ve made the arrangements, you’d just bring it (and everything else in the package, as well) with you.

To my knowledge, nobody in my family has ever been “enrolled” in the Brown Scapular, but we do have new scapulars blessed. And now that I think about it, sometimes the priest will ask who the scapular is for, and then they incorporate the name into the blessing. I wonder if such blessings count as an enrollment?

No; the enrollment ceremony is separate from the blessing.

I’d be interested to hear what others have done.

In my case, I prayed about it, and waited, and then when I was at a conference one time, they decided to distribute Brown Scapulars and enroll everybody on the Saturday, because it happened to be a First Saturday, and one of the priests who was speaking at the conference had a devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary, and he thought that everyone should be enrolled in the Brown Scapular.

So he got all the priests together and trained them on how to do the enrollment, and in the mean time, the ladies in the hall were passing out Brown Scapulars (which had already been blessed by the priest who was in charge of this whole thing) to everyone (I already had mine, though) and then later the same day, at the end of one of the talks, they got everybody to line up, and we all got enrolled.

 

[Lhhs]

instance, those wishing to be enrolled in the Confraternity of the Brown Scapular, can be enrolled on each first Saturday of each month.

First Saturday when? where? I’ve never heard of this. .

 

[Lhhs]

would you just walk up to your priest and ask to be enrolled?.

Yes.
You might want to help the Priest by bringing along a print-out of the enrollment text.

 

[michaeldaniels]

This occurs at my Parish of St. Agnes, in Baton Rouge, LA. I know someone asked another question earlier…no, there is not an appointment usually required…just check with your priest on when he normally does enrollment…he may or may not be able to do it right away, but in any case, he can tell you when you can be enrolled. When I was enrolled by my priest, he provided the Scapular and everything…I really, really love being a member of the Confraternity…it helps me on my walk with Christ.

First Saturday when? where? I’ve never heard of this. .

 

[jimcav]

Do you have to have some kind of ceremony first in order to receive its associated graces or can you just get one from someplace and start to wear it?

If you do have to have a ceremony, how would one be in that? Thanks.

There are many different scapulars out there, and each requires some different blessings and enrollments.

The most common scapular and probably the most widely worn is the Brown scapular. You can be enrolled in the Confraternity of our Lady of Mount Carmel, or the Brown scapular, by any priest. Just obtain a scapular, take it to him to have it blessed, and express your desire for enrollment. To recieve the graces of the scapular, depends on the wearers hope, faith and love.

Other scapulars can be alittle more involved, with some even requiring enrollment into a confraternity, and a blessing and an investiture into the scapular. Many can only be invested by a priest of the order in which the scapular is represented, and some scapulars can only be obtained through the religous order.

Is their a certain scapular your intersted in?

 

[Lhhs]

This occurs at my Parish of St. Agnes, in Baton Rouge, LA. .

Oh, we are not neighbors. . .explains why I haven’t heard of this

 

[Graing]

Do you have to have some kind of ceremony first in order to receive its associated graces or can you just get one from someplace and start to wear it?

If you do have to have a ceremony, how would one be in that? Thanks.

ac claire:

I have always been a bit perplexed by this enrollment business.

How does one arrange for an enrollment --would you just walk up to your priest and ask to be enrolled? At any time, or on a First Saturday? Will they even know what you’re talking about? Or would it be better to call for an appointment?

I took my missal with me to mass and after our priest had heard all of the confessions for the day, I asked him to do me the favor of enrolling me - which he was more than happy to do. It helps if you take your missal (if you have one) or the printed enrollment along with you as they may not be prepared.

As far as graces Koopa, are you referring to the Sabbatine Privilege (for the brown scapular)? This has quite a dramatic history involving a papal bull which was disputed and later a decree from the holy office. The original bull involved the intercession of the Blessed Mother on the Saturday after they passed to free them from purgatory. The privilege called for daily prayer - typically the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. With a priest’s permission, you can substitute the rosary.

You will find people with a wide range of opinions on the privilege itself, but certainly there can be nothing but good from daily prayer and devoutly wearing such a wonderful sacramental As some say, don’t look at it as a get out of purgatory card or magic talisman though

 

[jmcrae]

As far as graces Koopa, are you referring to the Sabbatine Privilege (for the brown scapular)? This has quite a dramatic history involving a papal bull which was disputed and later a decree from the holy office. The original bull involved the intercession of the Blessed Mother on the Saturday after they passed to free them from purgatory. The privilege called for daily prayer - typically the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin. With a priest’s permission, you can substitute the rosary.

This is an aspect of it that I am still struggling to understand. Would the person be expected to pray the Little Office every day for the rest of his life?

What would happen if he joined a religious order and became required to pray the Divine Office every day? Would the Divine Office be an acceptable substitute, or would he be required to do both?

 

[Graing]

This is an aspect of it that I am still struggling to understand. Would the person be expected to pray the Little Office every day for the rest of his life?

What would happen if he joined a religious order and became required to pray the Divine Office every day? Would the Divine Office be an acceptable substitute, or would he be required to do both?

That’s a question a Carmelite would probably need to answer for us. My understanding is that a priest could then grant permission to pray something like the rosary in place of the Little Office.

If your question is - would the required prayer of the Divine Office for a religious order fulfill the stipulation for the Sabbatine Privilege? - I think that’s a great question that I’d love to hear the answer to as well.

Oh and I am enrolled in the scapular, but not a member of either of the two Carmelite orders at this time - note that enrollment does not mean you are necesarrily a Carmelite for any I might be confusing

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

That’s a question a Carmelite would probably need to answer for us. My understanding is that a priest could then grant permission to pray something like the rosary in place of the Little Office.

If your question is - would the required prayer of the Divine Office for a religious order fulfill the stipulation for the Sabbatine Privilege? - I think that’s a great question that I’d love to hear the answer to as well.

Oh and I am enrolled in the scapular, but not a member of either of the two Carmelite orders at this time - note that enrollment does not mean you are necesarrily a Carmelite for any I might be confusing

Would it be required of a person already obliged to recite the Divine Office? I don’t know. But, obligations aside - I see no reason why they couldn’t do both the regular Divine Office and the Little Office. I know of monks who do recite both everyday (i.e., Carthusians).

But yes, your Priest can change the obligation from the Little Office to another, such as the Rosary. It is very common today for the obligation to be changed to a daily Rosary (especially since their really isn’t a true Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary anymore in the current liturgical books).

 

[jmcrae]

(especially since their really isn’t a true Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary anymore in the current liturgical books).

I have one - I think?

What do I have, if not the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

I have one - I think?

What do I have, if not the Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary?

You may have the one published by Catholic Book Publishing compiled by Rotelle. That is not the Little Office. He based it off of the Office of the Blessed Virgin (which is different than the Little Office) - but it is not the same as the pre-Vatican II Little Office. After Vatican II all the Little Offices kind of went away in favor of the Divine Office, which was meant by the Council to be the primary prayer of the Church.

Now we still have access to the older Little Office - Baronius and Bonaventure are two I know still publish them. But, I do not know if the Church still considers them valid Offices.

 

[dlltoms]

In 1956 when I made my first communion I received my first communion book a little purse and the brown scapular. We had them if I remember right the saturday before they were blessed and we were enrolled into it then. I was told at the time that if it wore out and we needed another we just replaced it. Also at the time I had a lapel pin from Lourds that was also blessed but that the blessings were only for that pin. If I replaced that it the new one would have to be blessed. Now I do not know what the rules are. Back then that is what they were. That was St. Paul’s Catholic Church in San Pablo, California.

 

[jmcrae]

Hello,

You may have the one published by Catholic Book Publishing compiled by Rotelle.

Yep, that’s the one I have.

That is not the Little Office. He based it off of the Office of the Blessed Virgin (which is different than the Little Office) - but it is not the same as the pre-Vatican II Little Office.

How come it says, “Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary” on the front cover, then?

After Vatican II all the Little Offices kind of went away in favor of the Divine Office, which was meant by the Council to be the primary prayer of the Church.

Uh huh. Okay.

So, we should be praying the Divine Office instead, then?

(Sorry to be a complete pain in the petunia patch, here. I’m just trying to get at all the angles, here.)

Now we still have access to the older Little Office - Baronius and Bonaventure are two I know still publish them. But, I do not know if the Church still considers them valid Offices.

Neither do I. When I was enrolled in the Brown Scapular, I was given the choice between the older Little Office and the Rotelle edition. I went with the Rotelle because supposedly it goes with the new Liturgical Calendar, and I didn’t want to be trying to follow two different calendars. (I have nothing against the old Calendar, but everything else I do is based on the new one, and I figured I’d try to keep everything consistent.)

I was not given the option of praying the Rosary, and nobody said anything about the Divine Office.

 

[JMJ_coder]

Hello,

How come it says, “Little Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary” on the front cover, then?

I don’t know - I am not involved with that companies marketing department.

The Little Office by Rotelle seems to be a very fine prayerbook (I have a copy myself), but it is not liturgical prayer (as an authentic Little Office would be today).

Uh huh. Okay.

So, we should be praying the Divine Office instead, then?

(Sorry to be a complete pain in the petunia patch, here. I’m just trying to get at all the angles, here.)

That was the intent of the Council Fathers. Strictly speaking, before Vatican II, the Little Offices (there were more than just the one to the Blessed Mother) were not considered liturgical. After the Council, the Little Office were recognized as truly liturgical prayers and saying them would unite you to the prayer of the Church just like saying the Divine Office. However, I am unaware of any Little Office that survived the reforms of the Council.

Neither do I. When I was enrolled in the Brown Scapular, I was given the choice between the older Little Office and the Rotelle edition. I went with the Rotelle because supposedly it goes with the new Liturgical Calendar, and I didn’t want to be trying to follow two different calendars. (I have nothing against the old Calendar, but everything else I do is based on the new one, and I figured I’d try to keep everything consistent.)

I was not given the option of praying the Rosary, and nobody said anything about the Divine Office.

This is one of those gray areas that resulted from the Council. No one has spoken authoritatively on this (as far as I know), so there is nothing to base a competent opinion on. As most people generally get the permission to recited a daily Rosary instead (I obtained this permission from the Priest who enrolled me), this is normally a moot point.

I have yet to receive an answer as to whether the Motu Proprio by our Holy Father includes permission for all to licitly liturgically use the pre-Vatican II Breviary and/or licitly liturgically use of the Little Office.